Manufacturing Method for Non-Powered Energy Layer

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a non-powered energy layer, wherein the non-powered energy layer is adapted for being a warming layer of a bedquilt. When a user is covered with the bedquilt using the non-powered energy layer as the warming layer, the non-powered energy layer would emit a far-infrared ray, such that the far-infrared ray would excite the user&#39;s skin, so as to make the microvascular dilation and promote the blood circulation and metabolism of user body. Besides being used as the warming layer, the non-powered energy layer can also be applied as inner layers of a mattress or a U-shaped neck bolster. Moreover, through the proof of experiment results, this non-powered energy layer would not over excite human skin when it is in long-term use, and the non-powered energy layer would not bring about allergies, itchiness or swelling in human skin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for weaved layer, and more particularly, to a manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer.

2. Description of Related Art

In busy modern life, people desire to have a good sleep quality for fully relaxing their bodies and adjusting physical functions after working hard for one day; for this reason, people make more and more requirements on functionalities of quilt covers, bedquilts, blankets, and mattress.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which illustrates a stereo view of a traditional bedquilt. As shown in FIG. 1, the traditional bedquilt 1′ includes an outer cotton sheet 11′ and an inner warming layer 12′, wherein the single outer cotton sheet 11′ can used as a cool quilt for summer; On the contrary, as cold winter is coming, the bedquilt 1′ can be used as a warm quilt by way of disposing the inner warming layer 12′ inside the outer cotton sheet 11′. Although such traditional bedquilt 1′ is widely used around the world, the heat retention of the traditional bedquil 1′ is still adequate for the old people or the people living in high latitude regions.

Thus, according to the traditional bedquilt 1′ includes less heat retention and functionality, some quilt manufacturers are mixing far infrared powder into the inner warming layer 12′. The far infrared powder is able to emit a far-infrared ray, which may excite man skin, and then make the microvascular dilation and promote the blood circulation and metabolism of man body. Therefore, when a user is covered with the bedquilt having the far infrared powder, the user would get high body temperature result from the promotion of blood circulation and metabolism. Generally, far infrared materials are divided into: (1) natural ores having far-infrared radiation energy; and (2) far infrared ceramic sintered at high temperature. In which, the far-infrared radiation energy emitted by the natural ore is un-uniform, but the far-infrared radiation energy of the ceramic can be modulated by changing the proportion of raw materials thereof.

Besides the far infrared powder, quilt manufacturers also add a so-called active layer into the bedquilt, wherein the active layer is made by anion-synthetic fiber, electromagnetic chemical fiber, nano far-infrared fiber, or bamboo charcoal fiber. The main function of the active layer is to activate the body cells for enhancing the immune system, moreover, some active layers further includes the characters of less cotton batting, anti dust-mite, anti-bacterial, and good temperature resistance.

However, whatever the bedquilt having the far infrared powder or the active layer, it cannot adapted for covering the man body having sensitive skin. When the man having sensitive skin is covered with the bedquilt having the far infrared powder or the active layer, the sensitive skin would produce swelling or itching.

Accordingly, in view of the traditional bedquilt and the bedquilt having the far infrared powder or the active layer still have shortcomings and drawbacks, the inventor of the present application has made great efforts to make inventive research thereon and eventually provided a manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method for a non-powered energy layer, wherein the non-powered energy layer is adapted for being a warming layer of a bedquilt; therefore, when a user is covered with the bedquilt using the non-powered energy layer as the warming layer, the non-powered energy layer would emit a far-infrared ray to excite the user's skin, and then make the microvascular dilation and promote the blood circulation and metabolism of user body.

The another objective of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method for a non-powered energy layer, wherein the non-powered energy layer is not only being used as the warming layer, but can also be applied as inner layers of a mattress or a U-shaped neck bolster.

Accordingly, to achieve the above objectives of the present invention, the inventor proposes a manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer, comprising the steps of:

-   (1) covering and enclosing a powdered metal mixture by a polymer,     wherein the powdered metal mixture comprises a first powdered metal     and a second powdered metal; -   (2) fabricating the end-product of step (1) to a plurality of     non-powered energy granules; -   (3) executing a spinning process for drawing the non-powered energy     granules to a plurality of non-powered energy silk strings; and -   (4) executing a weaving process for weaving the non-powered silk     strings to a non-powered energy layer, wherein the non-powered     energy layer is able to emit a far-infrared ray, in which the     wavelength of the far-infrared ray is ranged from 4 μm to 14 μm, and     the emissivity of the far-infrared ray is above 90%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention as well as a preferred mode of use and advantages thereof will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a stereo view of a traditional bedquilt;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a manufacturing method for a non-powered energy layer according to the present invention;

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C are schematic process diagrams of the non-powered energy layer;

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of a non-powered energy silk string;

FIG. 5 is a stereo view of a bedquilt;

FIG. 6 is a stereo view of a mattress;

FIG. 7 is a stereo view of a U-shaped neck bolster;

FIG. 8A is a table (1) for measurement data of the emissivity of a far-infrared ray;

FIG. 8B is a table (2) for measurement data of the far-infrared ray emissivity;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a rabbit's back skin;

FIG. 10 is a body weight table of the rabbits;

FIG. 11 an evaluation table of the rabbits' skin;

FIG. 12 is a score table for primary irritation of the rabbits' skin; and

FIG. 13 is test skin images of the rabbits.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To more clearly describe a manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer according to the present invention, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings hereinafter.

Please refer to FIG. 2, which illustrates a flow chart of the manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer according to the present invention; and please simultaneously refer to FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C, there are shown schematic process diagrams of the non-powered energy layer. The manufacturing method mainly includes four steps of:

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3A, the processing flow of the manufacturing method is firstly proceeded to step (S01), covering and enclosing a powdered metal mixture 20 by a polymer 10, wherein the powdered metal mixture 20 has a first powdered metal and a second powdered metal. The polymer 10 comprises a silica material, and the weight percentage of the silica material is above 50%; in the present invention, the chemical structure of the polymer is [Si(CH₃)₂O]_(n), in which n is ranged from 50 to 100. Besides, the material for making the first powdered metal and the second powdered metal can be titanium (Ti), germanium (Ge), zinc (Zn), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), and magnesium (Mg); and preferably, in the present invention, the materials for making the first powdered metal and the second powdered metal are Ti and Ge, respectively.

Continuously, the method flow is proceeded to step (S02), fabricating the end-product of step (1) to a plurality of non-powered energy granules 30 (as shown in FIG. 3A). As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3B, after step (S02) is finished, the flow is next proceeded to step (S03), executing a spinning process for drawing the non-powered energy granules to a plurality of non-powered energy silk strings 40. Please refer to FIG. 4, which illustrates a front sectional view of the non-powered energy silk string. As shown in FIG. 4, the non-powered energy silk string 40 is hollow with an outer layer of the polymer 10 and an inner layer of the powdered metal mixture 20.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3C, the processing flow of the manufacturing method is eventually proceeded to step (S04), executing a weaving process for weaving the non-powered silk strings 10 to a non-powered energy layer 50, or to a non-powered energy silk mass or a non-powered energy yarn layer. Please refer to FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, there are respectively shown stereo views of a bedquilt, a mattress and a U-shaped neck bolster. As shown in FIGs., the non-powered energy layer 50 made by using this manufacturing method can be used as an inner warming layer of the bedquilt or the inner layer of the mattress and the U-shaped neck bolster.

The non-powered energy layer 50 made by using this manufacturing method is able to emit a far-infrared ray, in which the wavelength of the far-infrared ray is ranged from 4 μm to 14 μm, and the emissivity of the far-infrared ray is above 90%. Therefore, when a user is covered with the bedquilt 51 using the non-powered energy layer 50 as the inner warming layer, far-infrared ray emitted by the non-powered energy layer 50 would excite the user's skin, so as to make the microvascular dilation and promote the blood circulation and metabolism of user body. Furthermore, in the present invention, a powdered carbide and a powdered oxide are mixed into the powdered metal mixture 20 for increasing the far-infrared ray emissivity. The material of the powdered carbide can be TaC, ZrC, SiC, or a mixture made by any two aforesaid materials. And the material of the powdered oxide can be Al₂O₃, MgO, NiO₂, SiO₂, ZrO₂, or a mixture made by any two aforesaid materials.

Moreover, it needs to further explain that the powdered metal mixture 20 does not limited to be consisted of the first powdered metal (Ti) and the second powdered metal (Ge). When making the powdered metal mixture 20, a third powdered metal, zinc (Zn), can also be mixed with Ti and Ge. As long as the powdered metal mixture 20 is covered by the polymer 10, the non-powered energy silk strings 40 and the non-powered energy layer 50 made of non-powered energy granules 30 will not bring about allergies, itchiness or swelling in human skin.

Next, for proving the non-powered energy layer 50 made by using this manufacturing method can indeed emit the far-infrared ray with wavelength ranged between 4 μm and 14 μm, a variety of experiment data will be shown in following paragraphs. Please refer to FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, there are respectively shown a table (1) and a table (2) for the measurement data of the far-infrared ray emissivity, wherein the measurement data of table (1) and table (2) are measured by Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITIR) of Taiwan.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the mattress, using the non-powered energy layer 50 as inner layer and called non-powered energy mattress in table (1), is able to emit the far-infrared ray with the emissivity of 91.2%. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 8B, the non-powered energy mattress still includes the far-infrared emissivity of 90.4% in spite of the non-powered energy mattress has been washed 150 times. So that, through the measurement data of table (1) and table (2), the non-powered energy layer 50 made by using this manufacturing method is proven that it can emit a far-infrared ray, and the wavelength of the emitted far-infrared ray is ranged from 4 μm to 14 μm, moreover the emissivity of the far-infrared ray is above 90%.

After that, for further proving the far-infrared ray, emitted by the non-powered energy layer 50 made by using this manufacturing method, would not bring about allergies, itchiness or swelling in human skin, a biological assessment test of CNS 14393-10:2005 is made. Three female rabbits are used as experimental animals in the biological assessment test, and the rabbits are provided by Laboratory Animal Center of National Yang-Ming University. The testing procedures of the biological assessment test are follows:

-   (A) fabricating test article extracts: putting a test material     (i.e., the non-powered energy layer) with area of 250 cm² into an     extracting solvent of 200 mL for achieving an extracting ratio of     1.25 cm²/mL, and then to process the extraction by using an     oscillator for 72±1 hours at 37±1° C. with constant agitation of 100     rpm. -   (B) about 18˜24 hours before the biological assessment test, the     back hair of the rabbits are removed by electrical razor, and the     shaved area is about 15 cm×10 cm. There should not have any skin     scratched or injury on this area before applying with test article     extracts or blank control article. -   (C) as shown in FIG. 9, piece of gauze about 2.5 cm×2.5 cm is loaded     with 0.5 mL test article extracts, and covered on the naked skin     directly at upper left dorsal part and lower right dorsal part of     the rabbits, wherein the upper left dorsal part and lower right     dorsal part are testing parts in the biological assessment test. -   (D) as shown in FIG. 9, piece of gauze about 2.5 cm×2.5 cm is loaded     with 0.5 mL test extracts, and covered on the naked skin directly at     upper left dorsal part and lower right dorsal part of the rabbits,     wherein the upper left dorsal part and lower right dorsal part are     testing parts in the biological assessment test. -   (E) Tightening the gauzes with test article extracts and blank     control article with the bandage for 4 hours and removed     respectively after closed contact. Then to clean the test area and     control area with distilled water. -   (F) Finally, any irritation response on the local skin of the test     rabbits was examined at 1, 24±1, 48±1, and 72±1 hours after removal     of the patch. And the skin condition, including erythema, edema,     irriration, corrosion, and other local irritation response can be     graded and recoded according to the “Grading system for skin     reaction” (CNS 14393-10:2005).

Please refer to FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, there are shown a body weight table of the rabbits, an evaluation table of the rabbits' skin, and a score table for primary irritation of the rabbits' skin. Moreover, please simultaneously refer to FIG. 13, which illustrates the test skin images of the rabbits. From FIG. 10, it is able to confirm that there are no obvious body weight variations on the rabbits.

To observe image (a), image (b) and image (c), which are the test skin images of the rabbits, and there are no any irritation response on the skins after 24 hours testing. So that, in the evaluation table of the rabbits' skin (FIG. 11), all the grading for the test part and control part skin of the rabbits are zero. Moreover, in the score table for primary irritation of the rabbits' skin (FIG. 12), all the grading irritation scores and the primary irritation scores for the test part and control part skin of the rabbits are zero. So that, after completing the biological assessment test, the experiment data and results have been proved that the far-infrared ray, emitted by the non-powered energy layer made by using this manufacturing method and having the wavelength ranged between 4 μm and 14 μm, would not bring about allergies, itchiness or swelling in human skin.

Therefore, the above descriptions have been clearly and completely introduced the manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer of the present invention; in summary, the present invention has the following advantages:

-   1. The manufacturing method of the present invention is applied to     making a non-powered energy layer, which is capable of emitting a     far-infrared ray and for being a warming layer of a bedquilt. Thus,     when a user is covered with the bedquilt using the non-powered     energy layer as the warming layer, the far-infrared ray emitted by     the non-powered energy layer would excite the user's skin, and then     make the microvascular dilation and promote the blood circulation     and metabolism of user body. -   2. Inheriting to above point 1, besides being used as the warming     layer, the non-powered energy layer can also be applied as inner     layers of a mattress or a U-shaped neck bolster. -   3. Inheriting to above point 1, the far-infrared ray emitted by the     non-powered energy layer includes the wavelength ranged between 4 μm     and 14 μm, moreover the emissivity of the far-infrared ray is above     90%. -   4. Inheriting to above point 1, after completing the biological     assessment test, the experiment data and results have been proved     that the far-infrared ray, emitted by the non-powered energy layer     made by using this manufacturing method, would not bring about     allergies, itchiness or swelling in human skin.

The above description is made on embodiments of the present invention. However, the embodiments are not intended to limit scope of the present invention, and all equivalent implementations or alterations within the spirit of the present invention still fall within the scope of the present invention. 

I claim:
 1. A manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer, comprising the steps of: (1) covering and enclosing a powdered metal mixture by a polymer 10, wherein the powdered metal mixture comprises a first powdered metal and a second powdered metal; (2) fabricating the end-product of step (1) to a plurality of non-powered energy granules; (3) executing a spinning process for drawing the non-powered energy granules to a plurality of non-powered energy silk strings; and (4) executing a weaving process for weaving the non-powered silk strings to a non-powered energy layer, wherein the non-powered energy layer is able to emit a far-infrared ray, in which the wavelength of the far-infrared ray is ranged from 4 μm to 14 μm, and the emissivity of the far-infrared ray is above 90%.
 2. The manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer as described in claim 1, wherein the powdered metal mixture further comprises a third powdered metal.
 3. The manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer as described in claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises a silica material, and the weight percentage of the silica material is above 50%.
 4. The manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer as described in claim 2, wherein the material for making the first powdered metal, the second powdered metal and the third powdered metal are selected from the group consisting of: titanium (Ti), germanium (Ge), zinc (Zn), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), and magnesium (Mg).
 5. The manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer as described in claim 1, wherein the powdered metal mixture further comprises a powdered carbide and a powdered oxide for increasing the emissivity of the far-infrared ray.
 6. The manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer as described in claim 5, wherein the material of the powdered oxide is selected from the group consisting of: Al₂O₃, MgO, NiO₂, SiO₂, ZrO₂, and a mixture made by any two aforesaid materials.
 7. The manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer as described in claim 6, wherein the material of the powdered carbide is selected from the group consisting of: TaC, ZrC, SiC, and a mixture made by any two aforesaid materials.
 8. The manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer as described in claim 1, wherein the non-powered energy silk string is hollow.
 9. The manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer as described in claim 1, wherein the chemical structure of the polymer is [Si(CH₃)₂O]_(n), in which n is ranged from 50 to
 100. 10. The manufacturing method for non-powered energy layer as described in claim 1, wherein the weaving process can also weave the non-powered silk strings to a non-powered energy silk mass or a non-powered energy yarn layer. 